High School Tennis Courts

Project History:

This project first came before the Select Board in April 2022. 18 site locations were presented for review. On July 20, 2022 the Select Board were presented with the top 6 locations. At the September 12, 2022 Select Board meeting a vote to move forward with the Couper Farm parcel was taken. Places Associates was selected to create a design for the park and provide an estimate for project cost. The estimated cost of the Couper Farm project was of $1.1 million dollars was put on the November 2022 Town meeting. This request was ultimately pulled from the Town meeting warrant days before the meeting to explore the idea of a less expensive project at the Littleton High School site. The two tennis courts at the High School have extensive court long cracks that need to be drilled out, refilled, resurfaced, and repainted. Major renovations at the High School would have to occur sooner than later and looking at this new option gives the Town a chance to be proactive with maintenance and to replace a facility that will be going offline to make room for a different facility. 

In March 2023 Tim Michalski and I started over again with Places Associates to obtain a new design and project estimate based on the High School location. We worked with the LPS business office, LPS Athletic Director, and Park Commission to develop the current design and cost estimation set at $734,000.   On June 13, 2023 the Park Commission voted to support bringing this project to the Community Preservation Committee (CPC). On June 28th, 2023 this project was presented to the CPC for both eligibility and funding. The CPC approved the eligibility of this project, but is waiting on the funding approval until the School Committee votes on approval of this project to take place on school property. Additionally, CPC had asked if the school would contribute funds to this project or contribute to CPC in the next budget cycle; or if they would approve of sectioning off that section of the property and turning it over to the Town of Littleton for care and custody if CPC is going to fund the whole project. School athletics would still receive first priority of scheduling, but the maintenance and operation would be under the PRCE umbrella. We have asked that this discussion and vote be on the agenda for the School Committee meeting. 

Project Timeline:

If we obtained the funding at fall Town meeting then we would work Mike Lynn, LPS athletic director to arrange the right time to not interrupt the HS Tennis season in spring 2024. Additionally we will work with the highway department to plan removal of old materials and prepping the site for the new courts to be installed in spring when the weather is favorable for the concrete to cure. The project will be completed in fiscal year 2024.

Action items needed to be completed to obtain CPC funds for this project:

• School Committee approval of this construction on school property. Scheduled for September 14, 2023 at 7:00pm
• School Committee takes a stance on a contribution or turning over the courts to the Town. Scheduled for September 14, 2023 at 7:00pm
• CPC’s approval to fund this project. Meeting to be held at the end of September 2023.
• Select Board and Finance Committee to support the CPC funding of this project. Scheduled for September 05, 2023 at 7:00pm
• Approval of CPC funding at Fall Town meeting. Town Meeting, Wednesday, November 1st, 2023.